49ers’ run defense will again play a decisive role

The more relevant question might involve San Francisco’s ability to stop New York’s rushing attack Sunday in the NFC Championship Game at Candlestick Park.

Of course, Manning inspired all the headlines this season with 4,933 passing yards and 29 touchdowns, but the Giants are at their best when they’re balanced. Consider that New York is 8-1 when rushing for over 100 yards this season. They are 3-6 when they failed to reach the century mark.

Sound familiar? The Saints were 12-0 this season when rushing for 100 yards. After they gained 37 yards on 14 carries in last week’s divisional playoff loss to San Francisco, they dropped to 1-4 when they didn’t hit 100.

Thanks to the NFL’s top-ranked rushing defense, the Niners have a knack for making offenses one-dimensional.

“Once you know that they can’t run the football, that’s when you get some exotic blitzes or you can play a lot of coverage,” San Francisco safety Donte Whitner said. “… We’ve been able to do that all year long – stop the run with seven guys in the box. And it’s really one of the keys to our success.”

Their last three meetings against quarterbacks ranked among the NFL’s top 10 in passer rating – New Orleans’ Drew Brees, Pittsburgh’s Ben Roethlisberger and Manning in Week 10 – followed a familiar script. San Francisco allowed a whopping 367.7 passing yards, but also had seven interceptions. Those interceptions turned into 20 points, and the Niners won all three games.

Safety Dashon Goldson said the front seven’s ability to stuff the run has allowed the secondary to focus on pass coverage and creating turnovers. It’s a recipe Goldson credits for his career-high six interceptions this season. In last week’s win against the Saints, he added another pick which led to a first-quarter touchdown.

“You anticipate other teams passing the ball,” Goldson said. “You don’t really feel that you have to help the guys on the front seven on the run. You can be relaxed and just expect pass. When you have the secondary sucking up, trying to help the run, that’s when you get burned with play-action. But when you make teams one-dimensional it makes you more relaxed in the secondary.”

The Giants ranked last in the NFL in rushing, but Niners nose tackle Ricky Jean Francois notes they still strive to be balanced. In their first meeting against San Francisco, New York gained 93 yards on 29 carries, the second-most attempts against the 49ers’ run defense this season.

New York’s Ahmad Bradshaw (659 yards, nine touchdowns) is back after missing the teams’ first meeting with a foot injury. Brandon Jacobs (571, seven) had 55 yards on 18 carries against the Niners in the regular season.

“I respect Eli Manning, and I respect their offense, but they aren’t going to go to just one dimension,” Jean Francois said. “Brandon Jacobs is a great back. Ahmad Bradshaw is a great back. They are going to run that ball by any means.”

But will they succeed in doing so?

If they answer that question affirmatively, they could be the team heading to the Super Bowl.